Group 1: Forest Resources Overview of forest resources - Forest is one of the most important part constituting the biosphere - Important role in creating the landscape and have a strong impact to the climate factors, land Standpoint theory of ecosystems, the forest are seen as a typical ecosystems in the biosphere (Temslay, 1935: Vili, 1957; Odum, 1966) In the other hand, Based on the theory of the forest of Morodov Sukasov, the forest are a Biogeocenose Two theories are not different in the nature They are recognized and used in research of the forest - Forests are also of great significance in the development of economic, social, ecological and environmental - The formation of forest types are closely related to the formation of natural vegetation with geographic and climatic conditions In each forest type is formed, the climate, soil, moisture will determine the composition and structure of the potential development of vegetation The division of the forest types of forest vegetation types are mainly based on the ecological advantages Some flora is important in the world • Temperate coniferous forests with a relatively homogenous, lower yields than the tropics, they are mainly distributed in North America, Europe, North China and some tropical mountains The trees are mainly pine, spruce, fir • • Temperate deciduous forest is distributed at low and tropical regions, mainly in northeast America, South America, Asia Europe, a part of China, Japan, Australia Tropical rain forests are distributed mainly in the equatorial region of the Amazon Basin (South America), the Congo River (Africa), India, Malaysia Because of the complexity of changing rainfall patterns, monsoon and temperature, the tropical forest are often very complex in both composition and structure of forest Based on the nature and purpose, the forest is divided into three types K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources Protection forests are used for the purpose of protecting water, soil, prevent erosion and mitigate natural disasters, climate regulation, protection of ecological environment Protection forest divided into three types, watershed protection forests, forest protection against sand and forest protection of coastal waves • Special use forests are used for special purposes such as nature conservation, genetic conservation of forest flora and fauna, in service of scientific research, protection of historical, cultural and scenic for tourism It includes national parks, nature reserves, cultural and historical sites • Production forests, including forest type used for wood production, forest animals and associated ecological environment protection Forest resources are plentiful and diverse, including biological resources, land, climate and landscape The exploitation and utilization of forest resources in the world depends on technology, traditions and social customs of each region and each country Wood used as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for different industries: paper, plastic, paint Wood is considered the first material of chemical industry Forests is an important resource, forests provide raw materials for human and base economic resources of many ethnic in the world Exploitation of forest resources has contributed an important part in economic and social development of many countries around the world • The importance of forests for environment - Forests are the most important component constituting Biosphere In addition to significant plant and animal resources , the forest is also a geographical factor which is essential in nature, it plays vitally important role in the landscape and have strong impact to the land climate factors Therefore,it is not only has the function of forests in economic development, social but also of special significance in environmental protection Forests are the obstacles to the transport of wind and affect speed and direction of wind In general, if h is the height of the forest range, the incidence of forests to reduce wind speed significantly within 50-10 h in direct side and 20 - 30h in indirect side 2.1) Forest not only blocks wind but also cleans the air and have a great influence on carbon cycle in nature In fact, the forest is considered as a giant dust refinery Annually of forests absorbs 36.4 tons of dust from the air - Several research also showed that, the radioactivity in water in the place where the are forest only equal a half in the place have no forest K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources Pic.Schematic diagram of carbon cycle in a forest The processes drawn with red arrows lead major isotopic fractionation 2.2) Forests also contribute significantly reduces noise For example a 50 m wide strip of trees beside the road has the potential to reduce noise 20 -30 dB 2.4 Forest has special meaning to the importance of balance oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Every year about 100 billion tons of CO2 fixed during photosynthesis by plants and a similar amount is returned to the atmosphere by various processes in nature It is predicted that if the whole biomass of tropical rain forest were burned in the next 50 years, and the amount of CO2 generated is not replaced by other sources to absorb CO2 is released at a rate of twice the current today if the rate of deforestation maintain by 2050, the atmospheric concentration of cacbon dioxide will doubled compared with the current and temperature of the Earth will increase by about degree At that moment the ice will melt make the sea level rise as high as 3m by the end of XXI century 2.5 ) Phenomenon of evaporation from plant biological effects of climate create rain clouds The amount of water released from the plant is huge and depending on soil moisture In Sweden, from of spruce forests on dry land out of water about 2100m3 /year , equivalent to a rainfall of 210 mm, while of forest on soil moisture will exit near 4000m3/year , equivalent to 400mm Overall, the amount of water vapor from the coniferous forest plants average 2-3 tons / / year, also in evergreen forests may reach 4-6 tons / / year Material evaporation occurs under the forest canopy is much less than bare ground, usually only 100 tonnes / / year in European forests .Forest created a sub-climate environment well to human health Forests reduces the temperature and increases humidity Especially many species can secrete substances with bactericidal action phitoxin special pine (Pinus sp), camphor (camphora cinamonmun), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus), cinnamon (cassia Cinnamonmun) K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources Forest with the role of watershed protection, soil protection against erosion Vegetation have an important function in preventing a fall to the ground and rain water has a role in the redistribution of this water Studies show that plants retained 25% of the total rainfall.The canopy of forest can reduce the power of destruction of rain with topsoil Forests increase infiltration and water holding capacity of soil, restricting the flow on the surface Litter of the forest floor can hold 100-900% of its weight Therefore significantly reduce soil erosion Many studies show that in our country humid tropics, where forest soil erosion each year only about - 1.5 tons / in the forest where there is no up to 100-150 tons / and the surface flow increased 3-4 times 3.Common causes of deforestation  Commercial logging companies cut down mature trees that have been selected for their timber The timber trade defends itself by saying that this method of 'selective' logging ensures that the forest regrows naturally and in time, is once again ready for their 'safe' logging practices (WWF)  Removing a felled tree from the forest causes even further destruction, especially when it is carried out carelessly It is believed that in many South East Asian countries 'between 45-74% of trees remaining after logging have been substantially damaged or destroyed  The reason these people are referred to as 'shifted' cultivators is that most of them people have been forced off their own land For example, in Guatemala, rainforest land was cleared for coffee and sugar plantations The indigenous people had their land stolen by government and corporations They became 'shifted cultivators', moving into rainforest areas of which they had no previous knowledge in order to sustain themselves and their families (Colchester & Lohmann)  The creation of national parks has undoubtedly helped to protect rainforests Yet, as national parks are open to the public, tourism is damaging some of these areas  Often, national parks are advertised to tourists before adequate management plans have been developed and implemented Inadequate funding is allocated for preservation of forests by government departments Governments see tourism as an easy way to make money, and therefore tourism is encouraged whilst strict management strategies are given far less government support 4.Forest loss and management  Anthropogenic factors that can affect forests include logging, urban sprawl, humancaused forest fires, acid rain, invasive species, and the slash and burn practices of swidden agriculture or shiftin cultivation  Expand the area of agricultural land to meet food production  Demand for fuelwood  Grazing K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources The loss and re-growth of forest leads to a distinction between two broad types of forest, primary or old-growth forest and secondary forest There are also many natural factors that can cause changes in forests over time including forest fires insects, diseases, weather, competition between species, etc In 1997, the World Resources Institute recorded that only 20% of the world's original forests remained in large intact tracts of undisturbed forest.More than 75% of these intact forests lie in three countries - the Boreal forests of Russia and Canada and the rainforest of Brazil In 2006 this information on intact forests was updated using latest available satellite imagery Canada has about 4,020,000 square kilometres (1,550,000 sq mi) of forest land More than 90% of forest land is publicly owned and about 50% of the total forest area is allocated for harvesting These allocated areas are managed using the principles of sustainable forest management, which includes extensive consultation with local stakeholders About eight percent of Canada’s forest is legally protected from resource development (Global Forest Watch Canada)(Natural Resources Canada) Much more forest land — about 40 percent of the total forest land base — is subject to varying degrees of protection through processes such as integrated land use planning or defined management areas such as certified forests (Natural Resources Canada) The forest resources in Vietnam Issues of exploitation and use forests in Vietnam Table Plantation area focused 1990-2000 In Area area (1000 Data source: Economic Situation - Vietnam Social ha) 1991-2000 1990 100,3 Greatest achievements in 1991 123,9 the forestry sector 1992 122,8 achieved in recent years is 1993 128,2 the capital of forests has 1994 158,1 been maintained and 1995 209,6 developed Total forest 1996 202,9 area based on the 1997 221,8 inventory published in 1998 208,6 2000 reached 10.9 million 1999 230,1 hectares, up 1.8 million 2000 232,3 hectares compared with 1990, the forest coverage rate has increased from 27.7% in 1990 to 32.2% in 2000 and 35.8% in 2002 The reason for such results, a work surface by new forest planting, forest regeneration, reforestation a top priority On the other hand, closed forest policy, forest protection and development of forests have been seriously implementing the country Implement the policy of this State, the majority of forest enterprises units, households have moved from small-scale years K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Index (Previous year 100%) 120,5 123,5 99,1 104,4 123,3 132,6 96,8 109,3 94,0 110,3 101,0 Group 1: Forest Resources missions to planting, forest protection and forestry services Logging tasks to reduce the maximum level, the forest development From 1990 to 2000 the country had 1939 thousand hectares of planted forests to focus on average each year 176 thousand hectares are planted In the period 1990-1995 was 743 thousand hectares planted, the average annual 149 thousand hectares in 1996-2000 planted 1096 hectares, planted 219 thousand hectares per year (see Figure 1) The value of forestry production in 1991-2000 the average annual increase of 1.2% Despite lower growth rate compared to other economic activities, but the structure of the output value of forestry sector over the years has changed in a positive way Production value due to reforestation, regeneration, regeneration and protection is growing Value of forest products from planted forests has increased in recent years In about 10 years (1990-2000) production of timber country reached 29.6 million m3, the average annual exploitation of 2.68 million m3 Closed due to forest policy has been limited logging wood production forests should exploit recent years has fallen from 32 million in 1990 to 24 million in 2000 The exploitation of timber, firewood for necessities such as paper materials, pit props (see Figure 2) Table Timber production 1990 - 2000 In timber Index production years (Previous year 100%) (1000 tonnes 1990 3445,5 105,6 1991 3209,6 93,2 1992 2686,5 83,7 1993 2883,6 107,3 1994 2853,2 98,9 1995 2793,1 97,9 1996 2833,5 101,4 1997 2480,0 87,5 1998 2216,8 89,4 Data source: Economic Situation - Vietnam Social 19911999 2122,5 95,7 2000 2000 2050,0 96,6 forest use in Vietnam • Improve the environment: climate control, reduce co2, forest protection, to avoid erosion K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources • As fuel for a number of industries such as forest product processing, paper production, furniture making • Ecotourism development: national forests, ecological reserves, biological reserves • For scientific research, conservation of rare plants and animals, ecosystem development … Causes of forest degradation in Vietnam May yet be the main cause of deforestation and forest degradation in our country are: - Burn shifting cultivation: nomadic life, the total area of forest lost each year is about 40 - 50% is due to burn shifting cultivation In Dak Lac in the period from 1991 - 1996 average loss of 3000-3500 of forest per year, of which over half the forest area lost due to shifting cultivation - Land under the land to produce crops business, especially deforestation for the cultivation of industrial crops such as coffee in the Central Highlands make up 40 - 50% forest loss in the region K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources - Overexploitation beyond the natural resilience of the forest - Due to the impact of bombs and toxic chemicals during the war, particularly in the south have destroyed about million of natural forests K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources - Do not plan mining, fishing techniques obsolete waste of forest resources - Due to forest fires, especially mangrove forests, pine forests, deciduous dipterocarp forest 6.Issues of exploitation and use forests in Vietnam Forest and forest lands Statistics in Vietnam show that 19.2 million hectares are forest land of which 9.3 million hectares are forested area, and 10 million hectares are denuded hillsides and barren lands Total standing volume is reported to reach 584 million cu.m of wood and 6.3 billion of bamboo calms Out of 9.3 hectares of existing forests5, there are 8.3 million hectares of natural forests and 1.05 million hectares of man-made ones, details of which follow: K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường Group 1: Forest Resources Figures assumed to apply around 1995 (Editor) Description Total Forested Non-forested Forest land 19.1 9.3 9.7 - Special-use forest 1.2 0.9 0.3 - Protection forest 8.0 3.5 4.5 - Production forest 9.9 4.9 5.0 Besides, there exist over 1-2 billion scattered trees planted in and around home gardens, along roadsides, canals That asset of scattered trees is going to increase by some 300 million trees established every year When converted into full plantation area, scattered trees now being established are reported to reach over 1-2 million hectares These "outside forest" resources are of much relevance to local farmers who can find in these plantation belts (or patches) a lot of ready fuelwood and small timber for daily uses in the countryside These resources too can contribute to the lessening of the destruction of natural forests in many areas/regions of Vietnam Forest cover in various areas/regions of Vietnam The differences in climatic conditions from sub-equatorial areas to sub-tropical ones as noticed in Vietnam and its elevations from sea level to mountains of over 3,000 m high, have caused the indigenous plant and forest resources to differ in terms of tree composition, forest types and forest cover There are the dominance of pine forests, broad-leaved forests, mixed coniferous stands, and even dipterocarp forests in the uplands; and the occurrence of lowland dipterocarp forests, mangroves, bamboos, and mixed stands of hardwoods and bamboos in lower areas, flats and wetlands Forest resourses in Vietnam are not evenly distributed, covering in different areas different percentage of local K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 10 Group 1: Forest Resources Total land mass: Region % Nation-wide 28 - North West 14 - Paper raw material area (in the North) 24 - North East 20 - Red River Delta - North Central Vietnam 35 - Coastal South Central Vietnam 35 - Western High Plateaux 56 - East South Vietnam 21 - Mekong Delta The quality of forests varies in the same direction as their distribution in term of area, i.e wherever the forest cover in lower, the quality of the forest resources (their composition and economic values as well), is also poorer Changes in forest resources and prospects in the year 2010 Looking back to the year 1943, one can find that the forest cover at that time was not less than 43% Satellite imageries obtained in 1973 thaw that the forest area amounted then to 9.5 million hectares, accounting for a cover of 29% Statistics from the years 1981 and 1982, gained through the interpretation of photos from Landsat in 1979-1981 and from KATE 140 during the same period, show that the forested area was then 7.8 million hectares covering 28% of total land The forested area in 1995 and the forest cover during the same year look almost the same K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 11 Group 1: Forest Resources as in 1989 It is difficult to say that there are some real increases in the area of existing forests from 1980 to now, because before that year, forests were so rated when they got a standing volume of more than 28 cu.m per hectare that criterion since then has changed and has become not applicable in the following year statistics However, the fact is that the forest area has shrunk, on the average at a rate of hundred thousands of hectares per year because of clearing for food production, shifting cultivation, of wild fires and careless wood and timber extraction, leading not only to losses in forest area but also to the degradation of forest resource with tree composition, precious genes and stand volume, are going to decline dramatically More recently, as due attention by the Government and consent by local farmers have been gained in forest management, the area of man-made forests has increases step by step from 625,000 hectares on 1989 to 1,049,700 hectares in 1995, at a rate of 125,000 hectares of plantation in 1991 being increased to 235,000 hectares of same in 1996 With the eventual ban on wood and timber extraction from natural forests and strong emphasis on forest plantation, protection, regeneration and restoration, it is to be hoped that in the year 2010, the state of forests of Vietnam will lock different with: • A system of protection forests of over million hectares being crested, in particular for the protection of the watershed areas of big rivers and water reservoirs for navigation and for hydroelectric power generation for the country as a whole, the protection of an extensive area along the coast and of farm crops cultivated at the foot of denuded hillsides and barren lands in the Deltas • A system of special-use forests covering 1-1.2 million hectares of natural forests mainly, in which one can find a number of National Parks, Protected Areas, and Historic Sites being well managed for public welfare and cultural conservation • A system of production forests extending over 10 million hectares, of which after the year 2000 industrial (or commercial) forest plantations will play a key role, while natural forests there will be exploited at only a moderate rate It is also planned to manage intensively at least million hectares of production forests giving high yield and products of high quality to industries The final outcome will be an effective management of all three (3) categories if forests providing a cover of not less than 40 % of the total land mass on which the area of denuded hillsides and barren lands will be kept to a minimum K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 12 Group 1: Forest Resources TTable Regional variations forest cover (2005) Regional (%) Forest cover Red River Delta 8.4 Northeast 45.4 Northwest 37.8 Northern Central Coast 46.7 Southern Central Coast 38.1 Central Highlands 54.8 Southeast 26.0 Mekong River Delta 7.9 Whole country 36.66 K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 13 Group 1: Forest Resources Table Forest land in Viet Nam (2004) Forest types Total area (ha) Production forest (ha) Protection forest (ha) Special-use forest (ha) I Forested area 12 306 858 465 717 920 688 920 453 A Natural forest 10 088 288 145 251 105 961 837 076 B Plantation forest 218 570 320 466 814 726 83 378 II Non-forested forest area 718 576 529 807 709 440 479 328 19 025 434 995 525 630 128 399 782 Total Forest area in Viet Nam has changed significantly in recent decades (Figure 1) Total forest cover dropped from 43.3 percent in 1943 to 33.8 percent in 1976 and 27.8 percent by 1990 In absolute terms, almost million hectares of forest were lost between 1976 and 1990; a net deforestation rate of over 142 000 hectares per year A turning point came in 1995 when forest area increase exceeded forest loss (mostly due to new plantations), and overall forest cover increased from 28.2 percent in 1995 to 36.7 percent in 2004 Figure Changes in forest area in Viet Nam over time In 1943 the forest area of Vietnam was estimated to be about 14.3 million hectares, or 43% of the total land area Owing to long-lasting wars, shifting cultivation, land clearances and over-exploitation, forest coverage was reduced at a rate of about 100,000 each year to 27.1% in 1980 and 26.2% in 1985 (Ministry of Forestry 1991) At present, total forest land is K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 14 Group 1: Forest Resources about 16 million which occupies 48.3% o0f the country's total land area By the end of 1999, statistical data relating to forest can be seen as follows, Total forest area : 10,915,592 (forest coverage: 33.2%) Natural forest : 9,444,198 (occupies 86.5% of forest area) Protection forest : 4,812,671 ha, Special-use forest : 1,463,746 ha, Production forest : 3,167,781 Plantation forest : 1,471,394 (occupies 13.5% of forest area) Protection forest : 537,997 ha, Special-use forest : 61,122 ha, Production forest : 872,275 ***** The end ***** K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 15 [...]... follows, Total forest area : 10,915,592 ha (forest coverage: 33.2%) Natural forest : 9,444,198 ha (occupies 86.5% of forest area) Protection forest : 4,812,671 ha, Special-use forest : 1,463,746 ha, Production forest : 3,167,781 ha Plantation forest : 1,471,394 ha (occupies 13.5% of forest area) Protection forest : 537,997 ha, Special-use forest : 61,122 ha, Production forest : 872,275 ha ***** The end *****... Special-use forest (ha) I Forested area 12 306 858 4 465 717 5 920 688 1 920 453 A Natural forest 10 088 288 3 145 251 5 105 961 1 837 076 B Plantation forest 2 218 570 1 320 466 814 726 83 378 II Non-forested forest area 6 718 576 2 529 807 3 709 440 479 328 19 025 434 6 995 525 9 630 128 2 399 782 Total Forest area in Viet Nam has changed significantly in recent decades (Figure 1) Total forest cover dropped... 2 million hectares of forest were lost between 1976 and 1990; a net deforestation rate of over 142 000 hectares per year A turning point came in 1995 when forest area increase exceeded forest loss (mostly due to new plantations), and overall forest cover increased from 28.2 percent in 1995 to 36.7 percent in 2004 Figure 1 Changes in forest area in Viet Nam over time In 1943 the forest area of Vietnam... Regional (%) Forest cover Red River Delta 8.4 Northeast 45.4 Northwest 37.8 Northern Central Coast 46.7 Southern Central Coast 38.1 Central Highlands 54.8 Southeast 26.0 Mekong River Delta 7.9 Whole country 36.66 K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 13 Group 1: Forest Resources Table 2 Forest land in Viet Nam (2004) Forest types Total area (ha) Production forest (ha) Protection forest (ha) Special-use forest. .. over-exploitation, forest coverage was reduced at a rate of about 100,000 ha each year to 27.1% in 1980 and 26.2% in 1985 (Ministry of Forestry 1991) At present, total forest land is K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 14 Group 1: Forest Resources about 16 million ha which occupies 48.3% o0f the country's total land area By the end of 1999, statistical data relating to forest can be seen as follows, Total forest. .. period, show that the forested area was then 7.8 million hectares covering 28% of total land The forested area in 1995 and the forest cover during the same year look almost the same K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 11 Group 1: Forest Resources as in 1989 It is difficult to say that there are some real increases in the area of existing forests from 1980 to now, because before that year, forests were so rated... special-use forests covering 1-1.2 million hectares of natural forests mainly, in which one can find a number of National Parks, Protected Areas, and Historic Sites being well managed for public welfare and cultural conservation • A system of production forests extending over 10 million hectares, of which after the year 2000 industrial (or commercial) forest plantations will play a key role, while natural forests... production forests giving high yield and products of high quality to industries The final outcome will be an effective management of all three (3) categories if forests providing a cover of not less than 40 % of the total land mass on which the area of denuded hillsides and barren lands will be kept to a minimum K55 Tiên Tiến Khoa học Môi Trường 12 Group 1: Forest Resources TTable 1 Regional variations forest. .. local farmers have been gained in forest management, the area of man-made forests has increases step by step from 625,000 hectares on 1989 to 1,049,700 hectares in 1995, at a rate of 125,000 hectares of plantation in 1991 being increased to 235,000 hectares of same in 1996 With the eventual ban on wood and timber extraction from natural forests and strong emphasis on forest plantation, protection, regeneration... wherever the forest cover in lower, the quality of the forest resources (their composition and economic values as well), is also poorer 3 Changes in forest resources and prospects in the year 2010 Looking back to the year 1943, one can find that the forest cover at that time was not less than 43% Satellite imageries obtained in 1973 thaw that the forest area amounted then to 9.5 million hectares, accounting